A plug-in connector part may comprise a housing and a plug-in portion which is arranged on the housing and which can be brought into plugged engagement with an associated mating plug-in connector part so as to electrically contact the plug-in connector part and the mating plug-in connector part. A plug-in connector part of this type may for example be formed as a charging plug, which is connected for example to a charging station via a charging cable and can be plugged into a charging socket on a vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle, so as to charge vehicle batteries during operation of the vehicle.
In charging plugs for electric vehicles, it may be prescribed for the charging plug to be secured against removal in a position in which it is plugged into a charging socket. For this purpose, in the plug-in connector part, a locking element movably arranged on the housing is provided, and serves to lock the plug-in connector part to the mating plug-in connector part. In this context, the locking element can be moved between a locked position, in which it can lock the plug-in connector part to the mating plug-in connector part, and an unlocked position, in which the plug-in connector part can be removed from the mating plug-in connector part.
By means of the locking element, locking is established between the plug-in connector part and the mating plug-in connector part as soon as the plug-in connector part is brought into plugged engagement with the mating plug-in connector part. In this context, it may be provided that, when the plug-in connector part is used as a charging plug, a charging process can only be initiated once locking is established between the plug-in connector part and the mating plug-in connector part, in this case configured as a charging socket, and the plug-in connector part is thus secured to the mating plug-in connector part against (undesired) removal. If the locking is released (as can be detected for example by means of a suitable switch), the charging process is interrupted and a flow of a charging current via the plug-in connector part is suppressed.
Since actuation of the locking element for unlocking can result in interruption to a charging process, the locking element should only be actuated when this is actually indicated. For example, the locking between the plug-in connector part and the mating plug-in connector part should persist until a charging process has (completely) finished, so as only to make it possible to remove the plug-in connector part from the mating plug-in connector part once the charging process has ended. Therefore, so as to prevent undesired unlocking of the locking element, a blocking element, arranged on the housing and adjustable in an adjustment direction, is provided, which serves to block the locking element in its locked position. By means of the blocking element, the locking element is held in the locked position thereof. Only once the blocking element releases the locking element can the locking element be moved out of the locked position thereof so as to unlock the plug-in connector part from the mating plug-in connector part.
EP 0 644 625 B1 discloses a plug-in connector part in the form of a charging plug, in which a sleeve serving for locking is rotatably arranged on a housing. A rod-shaped blocking element serves to block the sleeve in a locking position and can be adjusted by way of a lock cylinder.
In a plug-in connector part known from US 2013/0047687 A1, a blocking element in the form of a lock actuable by a key is provided on a mating plug-in connector part associated with the plug-in connector part, said lock being formed to block the locking element when the plug-in connector part is plugged into the associated mating plug-in connector part. The locking between the plug-in connector part and the mating plug-in connector part is thus blocked by the lock on the mating plug-in connector part.
In a plug-in connector part known from US 2011/0034053 A1, in the form of a charging plug, a lock is provided on a housing of the plug-in connector part, is actuable between a blocking position and a release position, and blocks a locking element of the plug-in connector part in the blocking position.
In a plug-in connector part known from DE 10 2013 204 904 A1, in the form of a charging plug, a blocking element in the form of a lock is provided on a housing of the plug-in connector part, which lock can act on a locking element by means of a locking latch so as to block said element in a locking position.